


Compensation

by Andromakhe



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 1987)
Genre: Family, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-25
Packaged: 2018-05-02 12:53:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5248934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromakhe/pseuds/Andromakhe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after "Beneath These Streets." The turtles face the music for their laziness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Compensation

**Author's Note:**

> Right after watching "Beneath These Streets," this idea came to me. There was a perfect opening when Leo tells Splinter they'd explain later.

Splinter and the turtles were gathered in the training room, seated on cushions on the floor. The turtles sat in a semicircle while Splinter sat in front of them.

 

"Leonardo, what happened last night? Why did you turn off your communicators?"

 

Leo exchanged awkward looks with his fellow students before gathering his courage and meeting Splinter’s eyes. "Basically…we were slacking off."

 

Splinter frowned in disapproval. "Explain further, please."

 

Leo swallowed audibly. "Um, we didn’t patrol. We…watched kung fu movies and then went out for pizza. We turned off our coms in the theater."

 

Mikey chimed in. "But Sensei, it wasn’t Leonardo’s fault. We talked him into the movies and turning off the coms. He tried to tell us they were bad ideas, but we wanted a break."

 

"But Leonardo went along with you, did he not? As leader, he should have kept you on task and did not. No. He is as guilty as the rest of you."

 

Leo flinched, head retracting into his shell in shame. 

 

"Sorry, bro," Mikey said, patting Leo’s shell sympathetically.

 

Leo’s head came back out. "Ah, it’s…It’s not your fault. Master Splinter’s right; I didn’t do my job."

 

"So after the movie, Leonardo, you went out for pizza. Why could you not turn on your coms at that point? Were you not aware you were late coming home?"

 

"Uh, I was. I thought maybe we should call, but never got around to it. I’m not really sure why."

 

"I talked him into pizza," Mikey said, subdued.

 

"Pizza is all right, Michelangelo. I would not want you turtles to starve. But if at least one of you had kept your com on or not gone to see the movie, the mess that was created could have been avoided."

 

All four turtles stared at the floor guiltily.

 

"Still," Splinter said thoughtfully, "I cannot fully blame any of you for wanting to watch movies at a real theater. I have done it many times and this may have been your first. I am glad you were able to experience it.

 

"However, turning off your coms was irresponsible. You had April and me worried for nothing, which caused us to go searching for you and you know the rest."

 

"I’m sorry, Sensei," Leo said sadly, the full impact of Splinter’s words hitting him hardest. "I was selfish. I can’t even say I didn’t think about those things. I just…didn’t care."

 

"Wait a minute," snapped Raphael, eyes narrowing at Leo. "You cared and you tried to be responsible. But you were overruled and outnumbered. Besides, leaders have to give the people what they want sometimes, or else they’ll have no team because no one will follow. I’d say you were kind of in a bind."

 

"Raphael, you make a good point. One voice out of four is definitely a minority. But I cannot allow you turtles to go unpunished for making yourselves unavailable. What if there had been a real emergency?"

 

Donnie spoke up. "Only fair way I can see is to make up for the hours we relaxed by training or patrolling. I’d say we had some four hours of fun that should have been spent working."

 

"And would you rather train more or patrol more?"

 

"Train," Leo answered immediately.

 

"Patrol," came Mikey’s answer.

 

"Train," Donnie said.

 

"Patrol," Raph put in.

 

"Very well. I would have been willing to subtract the time you took to eat, but since your coms were still off at that point, why don’t we say two additional hours of training and two patrolling?"

 

The turtles nodded and voiced varying versions of affirmation.

 

"And how would you like to serve the time? Two hours over two days or some other schedule?"

 

"That suggestion sounds manageable. Difficult, but doable." Leo spoke up.

 

Everyone nodded agreement.

 

"Then it starts now. Two extra hours of training. Up."

 

The turtles groaned but complied. Their restitution wasn’t going to be easy physically, but everyone felt unburdened of guilt.

 


End file.
